In a significant move, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has announced an increase in the daily wages for the staff of Amma Unavagam from Rs 300 to Rs 325. This decision comes after a long period of wage stagnation and in response to rising costs of essential commodities.When Amma Unavagam was first launched within the Chennai corporation limits during the 2012-13 financial year, workers received a daily wage of Rs 240, while assistant cooks earned Rs 213 per day. The wage was later standardized to Rs 300 per day for all cooks across the 392 Amma canteens operating in the city. However, there had been no wage hike in the past eight years, despite increasing living costs.
The recent wage increase to Rs 325 per day will incur an additional expenditure of Rs 3.07 crore, which will be covered by the Corporation Fund. Importantly, the Greater Chennai Corporation has clarified that the government will not bear any additional costs in the future, and the salary and establishment expenses, including this wage hike, must not exceed 49% of the corporation’s total revenue.
In addition to the wage increase, the GCC has passed a resolution to carry out maintenance work at Amma canteens that are in dilapidated condition, ensuring better facilities for both staff and patrons.
The Amma Unavagam initiative, aimed at providing affordable and nutritious meals to the public, continues to be a vital service in Chennai.